Iran demands U.S. halt strikes before nuclear talks can resume

TEHRAN / WASHINGTON:
Iran has declared that diplomatic negotiations with the United States over its nuclear programme cannot move forward unless Washington gives a clear commitment to end military strikes on Iranian soil.

Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, in an interview with the BBC late on Sunday (June 29, 2025), said Tehran is demanding assurances after the U.S. joined Israel in bombing three of Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 21.

“We have not agreed to any date, we have not agreed to the modality,” Mr. Takht-Ravanchi said. “Right now we are seeking an answer to this question: Are we going to see a repetition of an act of aggression while we are engaging in dialogue?”

Recent Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites

The U.S. and Israel carried out coordinated airstrikes on Iran’s major nuclear sites: Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.

• Israel claims Iran is on the verge of building a nuclear bomb.

• Iran insists its programme is for peaceful energy production.

President Donald Trump described the facilities as being “totally obliterated,” although U.N. nuclear inspectors are still assessing the extent of the damage.

Iran Seeks Assurances Against Further Attacks

Mr. Takht-Ravanchi said that without a clear U.S. commitment to halt strikes, restarting nuclear negotiations is impossible.

“The U.S. needed to be quite clear on this very important question,” he told the BBC.

He also rejected any suggestion that Iran should halt uranium enrichment entirely, calling such demands “the law of the jungle.”

Uranium Enrichment Dispute

Iran's enrichment activities lie at the core of the standoff:

• Under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran could enrich uranium to 3.67% for civilian use.

• After Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal in 2018, Iran increased enrichment to 60%, far above civilian levels but still below weapons-grade (roughly 90%).

U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said Iran could resume producing enriched uranium in a matter of months, though Tehran says timelines are unclear.

Israel's Concerns and Iran's Response

• Israel has long maintained that Iran is close to achieving nuclear weapons capability.

• Tehran says its nuclear ambitions are strictly peaceful.

• Iran’s deputy FM also revealed the U.S. privately assured Tehran that its strikes were not aimed at overthrowing the government or targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Background on the Nuclear Deal Collapse

• The JCPOA was signed in 2015 between Iran and world powers (P5+1), providing sanctions relief in exchange for strict limits on enrichment.

• Trump unilaterally abandoned the deal in 2018, calling it “terrible” and reimposing crippling sanctions.

• Talks in recent years have repeatedly stalled over enrichment levels, verification, and sanctions relief.

The Path Ahead

The deputy minister signalled Iran’s openness to discussing enrichment levels and capacity, but not a total ban.

“The level of that can be discussed, the capacity can be discussed, but to say that you should not have enrichment ... that is the law of the jungle,” Mr. Takht-Ravanchi said.

Diplomatic observers see little immediate prospect for a breakthrough unless both sides de-escalate militarily.

Conclusion

The latest escalation underscores the fragile state of U.S.-Iran relations.

• With both sides trading threats and demands, resuming talks looks increasingly complicated.

• The international community continues to call for restraint to avoid a broader conflict in the Middle East.

Iran insists on its right to enrich uranium, while Washington and Tel Aviv see that as an existential threat requiring decisive action.

As tensions rise, the possibility of returning to the 2015 deal or forging a new agreement remains uncertain.

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